The objective of this project is to increase our understanding of the role that alterations of myocardial diastolic elasticity effects in patients with hypertrophy and congestive heart failure. The specific objectives are to a) define whether abnormalities of myocardial diastolic elasticity occur in these patients; b) assess whether abnormalities of elasticity occur prior to the development of the contractile abnormalities; c) ascertain whether abnormalities of elasticity without contractile abnormalities can produce congestive heart failure; and d) quantify the extent to which various degrees of hypertrophy and the degree of pressure or volume overload alter myocardial elasticity. This will be accomplished by an angiographic study of left ventricular function in patients with pressure and volume overload as well as in patients with coronary artery disease. Analysis will be performed on a computer-based image system which has been developed by the principal investigator. Using a frame-by-frame biplane analysis of left ventriculograms, the simultaneous left ventricular pressures, indices of myocardial contractile function, a comprehensive relationship between diastolic elasticity and contractile function will be devloped. Furthermore, it will be determined whether the extent of pressure or volume overload hypertrophy contributes to the abnormalities of diastolic elasticity. It is hoped that these studies will increase our understanding in the management of patients with congestive heart failure.